The Jigsaw Man
by katina-katchoo
Summary: Captain Raydor is making Chief Johnson's life miserable. Things become even worse however when Major Crimes finds itself on the trail of a deranged killer. Starts at beginning of Season 7 but no spoilers.   Chapter 3 now up.
1. Prologue

**The Jigsaw Man**

Disclaimer: All recognisable characters and situations are the property of their respective creators and owners. No copyright infringement is intended. All other characters are the product of my own fevered imagination.

For the purposes of establishing a timeline, this story could be said to commence some time after Episode 7.02 but, hopefully, there won't be any spoilers as such as this narrative takes a fanciful turn near the beginning which places our beloved characters' feet firmly on a path to a completely different future.

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

_The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on_  
><em>He took a face from the ancient gallery<em>  
><em>And he walked on down the hall –<em> The Doors

Run, run, run as fast as you can

You can't catch me -

I'm the Jigsaw Man.

It was night time and it was raining in the City of Angels – a most appropriate coincidence he thought. His gramma had always said that rain was the tears of angels weeping for the injustices that occurred in this world but he thought that if that had been true it would never stop raining, especially here in Los Angeles. No, he had always felt that the rain was just the world's way of attempting to wash itself clean, of trying to rid itself of those annoying bits of grit and grime that built up to irritate and eventually corrode all that was right and just.

Not that the rain ever could ever cleanse this city. Wherever one chose to look; wherever one chose to turn over a rock: there slithered something dark and corrupt, exuding the stench of destruction and decay. Nowhere was free from the taint of evil.

But now he had returned to the city of his birth. He was realist enough to know that he alone could never hope to cure his beloved city of all its ills but he also knew that he had the knowledge and wherewithal needed to make a significant difference. Maybe that was why it was raining; maybe gramma's angels were crying tears of joy because Los Angeles' saviour had finally returned.

Allowing himself a small smile of satisfaction, he tugged at his leather gloves one more time and checked that the silencer on his gun was firmly attached. He knew that purists referred to them as suppressors these days but he much preferred to continue to think of them as silencers as he used them to silence the voices of evil.

It was time. The door to the vipers' nest that he had been observing for several days was closed and the rain had driven away any potential bystanders. Pulling his hat further down over his eyes, he left the shadows where he had been lurking and strode unerringly towards the door and his awaiting destiny.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

_Every tree has got her root and every girl forbidden fruit_  
><em>As well as demons..<em>  
><em>And the path I chose to go, a different girl so long ago,<em>  
><em>Well I had my reasons.<em>. – Charlotte Martin

In another universe they probably would've ended up being friends. Hell, in this universe they could've ended up forging a friendship eventually if it hadn't been for Pope and his insistence on persisting in a detailed transparency audit on the Major Crimes division – one so detailed it even made Captain Sharon Raydor shudder. She wasn't sure what motives were driving this directive from Pope but she was sure that they did mean that someone somewhere was going to be in a hell of a lot of trouble. And if that person was going to be a certain Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, well that would be a low blow indeed.

Raydor surreptitiously peeked over the top of the file she was supposed to be reading at the subject of her thoughts. Chief Johnson was standing by the murder board engaged in a low but intense conversation with Detective Gabriel. And all the while she was unconsciously turning and turning the wedding band on her finger.

As if she believes that turning it enough times will magically restore her husband to life, Raydor thought drily. To think that a man who regularly dealt with life-threatening situations in his job should meet an untimely end while walking down the side of the road. She snorted at the irony and then instantly realised that she must've been louder than she thought as both Brenda and Gabriel's eyes had abruptly focussed on her.

"Is there something we can help you with, Captain Raydor?" the Chief asked brightly, the saccharine-sweet tone to her voice implying that she would only really be interested in helping the woman under a bus or over a cliff. The artificial smile she plastered on her face only served to emphasise the antagonism she harboured for the one she deemed responsible for the added difficulties currently facing her.

Flustered at being caught not concentrating on her work, Raydor hurriedly began shuffling some papers while she attempted to regain her composure. She had never understood how the petite blonde from Atlanta was always able to rattle her cage so much. Captain Sharon Raydor was viewed as being an unshakable force within the LAPD – an emotionless persona defined only by unbending rules and regulations – and yet this slip of a blonde woman sometimes just made her want to scream.

"Captain?" the Chief asked again, just as brightly and just as insincerely. She stood, hands on hips, her head tilted to one side as she stared at Raydor, waiting for a response. It was as if she sensed the effect she was having on her adversary.

Damn that woman. Raydor had run out of folders to shift around. Carefully setting a completely neutral expression on her face, she looked squarely at the Chief. "No Chief," she stated emotionlessly, "I am sorry if I inadvertently interrupted your conversation. I was...momentarily...distracted by..." Her voice trailed off – there wasn't any way that she could reveal what she'd been thinking – not without seeming to be the complete bitch that everybody believed she was anyway. "I was momentarily distracted,' she stated again flatly.

"Well, I'm glad we weren't interrupting your important work, Captain." The Chief's southern drawl became even more pronounced as she stared coldly at the immaculately dressed woman seated at one side of **her** incident room. That woman! She just drove Brenda to distraction – it was bad enough that she was persisting in this ridiculous audit of her squad but her constant presence only served to remind them all that she was always there watching, weighing up evidence, waiting to pounce on the smallest infraction. Brenda just wished the damned woman would shrivel up and blow away.

Deliberately turning her back on Captain Raydor, Brenda turned her full attention to Gabriel. "You were saying Detective?" she asked.

Gabriel looked down at his boss, scratching the back of his head. "I was just saying, Chief, that I think I'd be more use to you if I came too. I don't see how me staying here would be of any help in the investigation."

Brenda gave Gabriel her most charming smile. "But it would be a big help David. If you stay here in case the Captain decides she has any questions or needs any kind of assistance, then we won't need to tell her that..."

"Tell her what?" Captain Raydor's low but atonal voice was directly behind Brenda. During the Chief's brief conversation with Gabriel, Raydor had taken the opportunity to approach the pair and was now looming directly behind Brenda.

"Shoot." Startled, Brenda spun around to look up into the unreadable eyes of the Captain. Defensively pulling her beige cardigan more tightly closed, Brenda tried to look as if chocolate wouldn't melt in her mouth. "Why Captain, nothing, nothing at all," she insisted.

Captain Raydor's eyes narrowed. "Now why don't I believe you, Chief?"

Still hopeful that she could allay the Captain's curiosity, Brenda said hastily, "Oh, it's nothing really, Just a little consult with another division – as a courtesy really. We'll be there and back as quick as two shakes of a lamb's tail. Nothing for you to be concerned with at all."

Captain Raydor frowned and folded her arms. "Really?"

"Really Captain," Brenda insisted. She had a sinking feeling that she was not going to deflect Raydor's interest in what they were discussing.

"Well," said Raydor, with glacial undertones, "don't you think that I should decide whether or not I should be concerned with this so-called 'consult'?"

"But Captain, you're so busy with this audit and this is probably going to end up being about nothing so I just thought it would be less bother for you if I didn't trouble you with this teeny matter and I thought if I left Detective Gabriel here to..." Brenda's explanation trailed away into silence as she saw Raydor purse her lips and shake her head.

"No Chief, it doesn't it work that way." Raydor was obviously not impressed. "We all will go to this little consult of yours and, if you don't mind, I think we should travel in the same car so that nobody accidently goes to the wrong address." Her tone of voice made it clear that this was most definitely not a request.

Brenda waved her hands in apparent defeat. "Very well, Captain Raydor, if you insist. But do remember that you are only there to observe." She paused to straighten her cardigan which she had almost managed to tie into a knot. "Now if you'll just just wait a few moments, I need to get my purse." Head held high, she stalked towards her office where a candy bar with her name on it was waiting. She may have lost this round but Brenda Leigh Johnson had no intention of losing the war.

Captain Raydor watched the cardigan and floral ensemble disappear into the Chief's office and rolled her eyes. She could appreciate that Chief Johnson was intelligent and had a sharp understanding of the criminal mind but how, oh how, did such a petulant child rise so high in the department? There had to be something more to this woman that she just wasn't seeing.

Sighing, Raydor went over to her desk to pick up her notebook and some pens. No doubt she would be taking copious notes today.


	3. Chapter 2

Detective Sergeant David Gabriel was certain that, if the crime scene had been any further away, he would have actually snapped the steering wheel into pieces with the tightness of his grip. Having both women in the car had been a waking nightmare. Not that anything was said – oh no – instead the journey was undertaken in near silence only broken by the occasional rustle of the file Chief Johnson was currently reviewing and the interminable skritching of Captain Raydor's pen as she wrote in her notebook. The two woman studiously ignored each other but the unspoken tension in the atmosphere seemed to become more and more stifling the further they drove. Forget about the crime scene waiting ahead, Gabriel felt as if he was about to bear witness to a particularly bloody double homicide.

Finally they arrived at their destination and Gabriel exited the vehicle as quickly as he could without looking as if he was making a break for freedom. While he waited for the Chief to disembark and take the lead, he quickly surveyed the area, assessing the scene before him. Most of the police were gathered around the entrance to an apparently abandoned warehouse. A number of other police, including Lieutenants Provenza, Flynn and Tao, were standing near a cloth-covered figure lying in the middle of the road.

Adjusting her sunglasses, the Chief came up beside Gabriel. "With me Detective," she instructed and started to walk towards the officers standing on the road. She ignored Captain Raydor, knowing that the woman would have no option but to trail after them.

Lieutenant Tao noticed their approach and hurried over to intercept them. "If I may, Chief," he said and gestured towards the open doorway of the warehouse. "It would be best if you came this way first and saw where it all began."

"Where it began?" Brenda peered over the top of her sunglasses at the eager detective.

"Oh yes. This is big," exclaimed Tao enthusiastically and started towards the warehouse, knowing that his boss would follow his lead. Obviously this crime was going to prove to be out of the ordinary as Tao only ever became so agitated when there was a particularly challenging mystery to be solved.

"Just a little consult with another division, eh Chief?" Raydor whispered sarcastically into Brenda's ear, her breath hot on the Chief's neck.

Brenda couldn't prevent herself from jumping slightly at the unexpected comment, even though she knew it would please Raydor no end. Damn that woman. Turning her head slightly to make eye contact, she smiled sweetly and said, "Why, Captain Raydor, that's what I was told. Maybe they've found something else. But we won't find out if we stand here all day, will we?" Shifting the large purse slung over her shoulder into a more comfortable position and deliberately forcing the Captain to take a hasty step backwards in order to avoid being hit in the face, Brenda followed Lieutenant Tao. Captain Raydor paused to readjust her immaculate jacket and her dignity before following close behind.

Tao led the Chief over to a younger man, dressed casually, who was standing with a number of uniformed officers near the open door. "Lieutenant Darcy? The Chief."

The young man looked around, grinned at Brenda and stuck out his hand. "Pleased to finally meet you Chief Johnson. Though I wish it was under better circumstances."

Brenda returned the firm handshake,. "Pleased to meet you too I'm sure Lieutenant. Now what circumstances are these that made you feel that it was necessary to request the presence of Major Crimes?"

Unconsciously running a hand through his already unruly hair, the Lieutenant shrugged. "That's the problem Chief. We don't really know. At first we thought it was gangs and then we thought it was drugs but the scenario just doesn't make sense." He shrugged. "To be honest, it's a god-awful mess in there. I think you just need to see it. Then you'll understand."

"If I may say, Chief..." began Captain Raydor, all business and efficiency.

"No, you may not say Captain." Brenda whirled around to face her auburn-haired shadow and held up a finger in admonishment. "You're only observing, remember?"

"But Chief, the rules state that..."

Brenda said nothing but continued to hold her finger up and widened her eyes in anger. She was not going to let that woman interfere.

"Very well Chief Johnson." Captain Raydor gave her superior a pained smile and threw her hands up in mock defeat.

Barely managing to suppress a groan of irritation, Brenda returned her attention to the young Lieutenant. Giving him her most charming smile, she said, "Well Lieutenant Darcy, if you would be so good as to lead the way, I would be most interested in seeing this crime scene of yours. Thank you so much."

"Thanks Chief Johnson. I appreciate this," Darcy said as he led the way to where the protective gear was waiting.

Shaking her head to herself, Captain Raydor paused to make a few notes before moving to join the others. What was she going to do with that woman?


	4. Chapter 3

Lieutenant Sanchez was waiting for his chief just inside the warehouse door. He was standing near two cloth-covered bodies lying in close proximity on the floor. Nodding at his Chief, he gestured that she should come over to where he was standing.

Before doing so, Brenda turned to Lieutenant Darcy and asked, politely, "Now Lieutenant I realise this is your crime scene and I don't want to interfere..." She ignored the unladylike snort that came from Captain Raydor when she said this. "But I was wondering if it would be all right if I asked my team what they they thought of this here situation?"

Darcy grinned. "Sure Chief. That's why I called you."

Brenda smiled. "Thank you." She turned to approach Sanchez but abruptly turned back to Darcy. "Oh, one more thing Lieutenant. We don't have our camera man here to record the scene so I was wondering if it would be all right with you if you were to send copies of any footage you've taken to Major Crimes?"

"Certainly."

"Thank you Lieutenant." The Chief smiled winningly at him again and then went to Sanchez. "Julio, what do we have here?" She crouched and lifted the corner of one of the sheets to examine the body while Sanchez spoke.

"Well Chief, it must have all gone down quickly. There's no evidence that either of the men had the opportunity to even try to use their own weapons. One shot to dispatch each man in quick succession and I'd say that some kind of suppressor was used as there's no indication that anyone upstairs heard anything." Sanchez pointed towards the door. "The shooter made his shots from near the entrance – that's where they found the casings. Actually Chief, if it wasn't for the casings being left behind, I would say it was a professional hit."

Brenda looked up at her Lieutenant. "Could they have left the casings so that we'd think it wasn't a professional hit?"

Lieutenant Sanchez shrugged. "It's difficult to say Chief. Not a whole lot about this case makes sense."

The Chief dropped the sheet back down over the very dead thug and rose to her feet. "That's what everyone keeps saying but I haven't seen anything that could really be called strange yet."

"Yeah, well, come upstairs with me Chief," Sanchez grinned. "There's a room up there that's just full of strange."

Chief Johnson and her ever-growing entourage climbed the rickety stairs that led to what would have once been the office area of the dilapidated warehouse. In the corridor at the top of the stairs lay another sheet covered body – the remains of a sandwich lying nearby accompanied by an evidence marker.

"One shot in the back," commented Sanchez as they manoeuvred around the corpse. "Another indication that some form of suppressor was used as there's no sign that anyone in the room ahead heard this go down." Brenda nodded but said nothing as she absorbed what her Lieutenant was telling her.

And then, then they reached the room. For the site of a multiple homicide, it was relatively neat and tidy. The bodies, all six of them, weren't covered in sheets but it only took the Chief a moment to realise why. To do so would have compromised the scene. Three of the bodies were seated at a table, sprawled over a large amount of white powder in various stages of being bagged for distribution. The other three were on the floor but one had upended a table – perhaps in an ill-fated attempt to ward off his attacker – and, as a result, these bodies were now partially covered in money.

Surveying the scene, Brenda said, "Tell me what you think happened Julio."

Standing next to his chief, Sanchez pointed at various parts of the room as he explained a possible scenario. "The killer, or killers, would have started shooting as soon as the door opened. It looks like the men at the table were killed first as they don't appear to have tried to escape or retaliate. The whole thing must have happened very quickly – two of the other men tried to get their own guns out but they went down before they could return fire."

"So, a blitz attack?"

"Yes Chief. And whoever did it was an excellent marksmen – only one of the victims required a second shot to finish him off."

"Thank you Lieutenant." Brenda flashed a quick smile at Julio. "Let's take a closer look at this, shall we?" Gingerly she wended a path through the multitude of evidence markers and approached the table where the first three bodies were slumped. Sanchez and Gabriel followed close behind.

Captain Raydor remained by the door, watching the Chief and her detectives at work. This was where the slender blonde was truly in her element – crouched beside the victims, carefully examining evidence through her heavy black-rimmed glasses that she had fished from the depths of her huge horrendous bag. Occasionally she would pause to brush back stray strands of hair that had fallen across her face with the back of one gloved hand while listening to her detectives as they made comments and suggestions about the scene. And that was something that Raydor just did not get – Chief Johnson was always willing to listen to ideas from members of her team even when her own mind was obviously made up about something. She never dismissed them out of hand and yet she was obstinate in her refusal to even give Captain Raydor a chance to explain what little she was allowed to. It was this that frustrated Raydor so much that she sometimes felt like grabbing the smaller woman by the scruff of the neck and shaking some sense into her. The Captain smiled briefly at the mental image but then quickly recomposed her facial expression into its usual dispassionate state. Time enough later for wishful thinking.

Finally the Chief appeared to be finished with her examination of the room. She held a brief low conversation with both Sanchez and Gabriel before turning to Lieutenant Darcy and talking quietly with him. Strain as she might, Raydor couldn't make much sense out of what was being said other than that Brenda thought Darcy had made the right decision in calling in Major Crimes.

"Well, Lieutenant Darcy, I believe I have one more body to look at and then we're done," the Chief said.

"Yeah. I believe you noticed it on the way in," said the lieutenant. "If you think you've started to make sense of all this," he indicated the scene around them, "then it will just put you back at the start again."

The Chief inclined her head slightly as she took this information in before saying, "Well, we'll have to see about that, won't we Lieutenant?" Leaving her two detectives to continue to work the room, she left the scene with Darcy. Captain Raydor silently fell in behind them.

As they walked down the stairs, Lieutenant Darcy asked, sotto voce, "Does she follow you everywhere?"

"Oh," Brenda exclaimed, more than happy to have the Captain hear her response, "if you're going to have a stalker, it's a bonus if you always know where she is." She could almost feel the death stare Raydor shot at her back.

When the Chief reached where the last body lay, she found Lieutenant Provenza waiting patiently, his white cloth hat pulled firmly down around his ears. Lieutenant Flynn had wandered off down the road and was looking for anything which might bear relevance to the case. To any casual passer-by it would seem that he was just going for a stroll, but Flynn's keen eyes would be taking everything he saw in – to be processed and analysed in relation to the case. Tao was nowhere to be seen; undoubtedly, he had gone to consult with the technicians.

"What have we got here, Lieutenant Provenza?" Brenda asked her most experienced detective.

"It's not pretty Chief." Provenza tugged at the brim of his hat. "The rain last night washed away most of the blood but still the guy took a long time to die so..."

Brenda paused and took a long look at their surroundings. "An isolated area with mainly derelict buildings. Little chance of being observed and yet this kill was staged here, in plain view in the middle of the road, as if for an audience. Or was it just to get someone's attention? Our attention?" she mused aloud. "Or did he want the victim to see something as he died?" She turned to the body and nodded at Provenza. "Let's see the victim, Lieutenant."

Wordlessly, Provenza reached down and lifted up the sheet. He had been correct when he said it wasn't pretty. Both Brenda and the Captain unconsciously made small expressions of disgust before composing themselves. There was evidence that the victim had been shot several times but with the intention to incapacitate rather than kill him. But what had caused both the women officers to react was the fact that someone had used something very sharp to slice the flesh of the victim in seemingly random patterns as well as stabbing the body repeatedly. Immense rage had driven this frenzied attack.

Chief Johnson sighed heavily and waved her hand at Provenza, indicating that he could lower the sheet once more. She looked at Lieutenant Darcy. "You made the right call Lieutenant. This isn't to do with drugs or gangs. Major Crimes will be taking over this case."


End file.
